The Cat in Grandfather's House

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

23737

Title

The Cat in Grandfather's House

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

In a whimsical tale, imaginative ten-year-old Hortense moves to her grandfather's strange, antique-filled house where furniture comes alive. Joined by her friend Andy and magical objects like a cat and a grater, she embarks on a thrilling adventure through secret tunnels to a land of Little People, facing a villainous grater and a sinister cat in a story full of humor and wonder.

Summary up to 500 words

In Carl Henry Grabo's whimsical tale, *The Cat in Grandfather's House*, ten-year-old Hortense travels to her grandfather's old-fashioned home, a place where the ordinary blurs with the magical. Upon arrival, she meets her eccentric family, including Uncle Jonah, and learns from her friend Andy's father, Fergus, about the 'Little People' who inhabit the mountains and woods. Hortense and Andy soon discover a secret tunnel leading to a realm where inanimate objects possess distinct personalities. They befriend a mischievous cat named Jeremiah and an alligator sofa, but their adventure turns perilous when they encounter a villainous grater named Grater, who has captured other magical items, including firedogs and the sofa. The narrative takes a strange turn when Hortense loses her magical charm, causing her and Andy to shrink to a miniature size. Forced to navigate a world of giant objects, they discover a glowing tunnel leading deep into the mountain. There, they enter the kingdom of the Little People, a land with a lemon-colored sky and dark red trees. However, their visit is cut short when Grater and Jeremiah capture them, intending to lock them in a clock case and use them as a meal. Trapped inside the clock, Hortense and her friends must rely on the wisdom of the clock itself and the sharpness of Malay Kris, a magical knife, to escape. They manage to free themselves and flee the villains' lair, only to be intercepted by the Little People's guards. Facing the King of the Little People, Hortense and Andy are sentenced to a dungeon beneath the mountain. Their situation seems hopeless until the alligator sofa, filled with cookies, provides a means to restore their size. Just as the villains prepare to eat the remaining treats, the arrival of Fergus on the horses Tom and Jerry brings the rescue. A chaotic battle ensues, resulting in the defeat of Grater and the escape of the captured furniture. As dawn breaks, the magic of the night fades, and the enchanted objects return to their inert states. Hortense and Andy are reunited with their family, concluding their extraordinary adventure just as their parents return from Australia. The story celebrates the power of imagination, the warmth of family bonds, and the thrilling possibility that anything can happen in a strange house.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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data/epubs/pg23737.epub

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Categories

• Fiction
• Fantasy